Defense attorney Susan James got Gilley to acknowledge that he told the FBI last year that he did not know anything about Jay Walker offering to buy trucks from former state Sen. Jim Preuitt to secure his vote for pro-gambling legislation.

James said she was trying to show that “Jay Walker was not in on all the efforts going on with Ronnie Gilley,” she said.

Gilley has pleaded guilty to offering bribes to legislators and is testifying for the prosecution. He is scheduled for sentencing in April, and he acknowledged his cooperation could shorten his sentence.

Walker and Preuitt are on trial with casino owner Milton McGregor, Sen. Harri Anne Smith, former Sen. Larry Means, and casino lobbyist Tom Coker. They are accused of buying and selling votes for legislation designed to protect casinos from a state crackdown on electronic bingo games.

Testifying for the prosecution last week, Gilley said he told Walker to promise Preuitt that the casino developer would provide him with campaign support and buy trucks from his Ford dealership in Talladega if he would vote for pro-gambling legislation during the 2010 election year.

Under questioning by Walker’s attorney Tuesday, Gilley said he told the FBI last year that he never made an offer to Preuitt to buy trucks and is not aware of Walker making any offer to buy trucks. He did not back off his testimony last week about offering campaign support, including free polling, to secure Preuitt’s vote.

Walker’s attorney also got Gilley to testify that two of his investors paid Walker to be the spokesman for Country Crossing when it was being developed in Dothan in 2009 because they didn’t think Gilley was polished enough for the job and they wanted someone else in the role. Gilley said he paid Walker only $12,000 and that was after Country Crossing was forced to close in January 2010 due to the state crackdown.

The pro-gambling legislation passed the Senate on March 30, 2010, with Preuitt, Smith and Means supporting it. The bill died in the House after the FBI announced its investigation of vote buying. In addition to Gilley’s guilty plea, two of his lobbyists, Jennifer Pouncy and Jarrod Massey, pleaded guilty along with former Rep. Terry Spicer, who admitted he took bribes from Gilley and Massey. All are awaiting sentencing.